President Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated the government’s resolve to effectively respond to the effects of climate change that have resulted in a drought in the country.
And President Hichilema has called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders in finding solutions that the current drought has caused on people’s livelihood.
The Head of State says there is a need to work together regardless of people’s political, social, tribe or religious affiliation in order to overcome the current challenges of the food and energy crisis caused by the drought.
He was speaking in Monze today when he graced the 2024 Lwiinde Gonde traditional ceremony of the Tonga people of Monze District of Southern Province which was celebrated under the theme” Chilanga” meaning drought.
President Hichilema noted that the government is focused on ensuring that it feeds all the people that have been affected by the drought and are in need of food aid.
He explained that to this effect, efforts have been intensified towards mitigation such as providing maize to the Zambia National Service and private millers to provide mealie meal for the urban population, while in rural areas the government is taking back the maize to depots for easy access by the people in rural areas.
“We are all aware that the country experienced a devastating drought which affected the entire southern Africa, but as a government we have already responded by declaring a drought an emergency meaning a number of measures have been put in place to ensure that our people are provided with food and water,” he said.
President Hichilema has further noted that the government will provide equal support to all the traditional ceremonies celebrated in all the 10 provinces of the country.
The Head of State noted that this is because the government recognises traditional ceremony as a tool for enhancing national unity and promotion of cultural heritage.
He said government will also continue to improve the welfare of traditional leaders and their retainers through the provision of basic needs such as decent accommodation and water among others.
President Hichilema has since directed the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Zambia Correctional Service to expedite the works on the construction of Chiefs palaces across the country.
“Am happy that the construction of Chief palaces across the country has started but I would like to urge my colleagues from the local government and correctional service to finish the work quickly. Let us not be on the same assignment for a long time, we need to work hard for the people of Zambia,” the President added.
President Hichilema also stated that government will continue to work hard to deliver according to the expectations of the people and also towards improving the living standards.
He said the government has since managed to restructure the debt, hence there will be space for government to allocate resources to other needy areas for the benefit of the people.
Provincial Minister, Credo Najuwa, said the Lwiinde Gonde traditional ceremony has continued to be a unifying factor as evident by the number of people it attracts from different parts of the country.
Mr Najuwa thanked the 33 traditional leaders for finding time to be part of the ceremony that is targeted at celebrating the country’s heritage and tradition.
And the host Chief, Senior Chief Monze, called on traditional leaders in the country to be champions of peace and unity in order to foster development in the country.
Senior Chief Monze explained that this is because traditional leaders as custodian of people have an important role to play in ensuring that citizens in the country embrace peace and unity through coexisting.
He noted that as Chiefs in the country, they have resolved to lead by example and ensure that people in the country embrace peace and unity at all levels.
Chief Monze further thanked the Chiefs from different parts of the country, including Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province for attending the ceremony, adding that this signifies the unity that the traditional leaders are trying to promote.
“For me I pray that this peace we have enjoyed should continue, there is no need for tribalism we need to co-exit. Us, as traditional leaders, we want everyone to embrace the one Zambia and nation motto which is about peace and love.
“Am happy that the Paramount Chief is here with my other colleagues from across the country to show you that as Chiefs we are united,” he stressed.
In his vote of thanks which was read by Chief Mnukwa, Paramount Chief Mpezeni called on Chiefs in the country to work with government in addressing the negative effects of climate change affecting the country.
Meanwhile, traditional prophet, Douglas Halubinga, commended the government for being proactive to the drought that has affected the country.
He further cautioned people against the indiscriminate cutting down of trees for charcoal production saying that it is one of the causes of climate change that brings about drought.
Prophet Halubinga further gave a traditional rain forecast for the next rain season, noting that the country is likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall.
“Last season we had a drought which I forecast, but we can’t blame anyone for this, we also need to change our ways of cutting down trees as this affects our weather pattern.
“But, thankfully, the government has responded very well and has assured that no-one will die of hunger,” he stated.
The effects of the drought have been compounded by poor decisions from yourselves. When we told Mtolo Phiri to slow down on the export of maize he was jumping up and down like an excited insect and you supported him. We told him that millers and grain traders were buying maize at higher than the FRA price which was an indication that there was no maize, he argued that there was a bumper harvest. Today you conveniently shun to talk about those poor decisions because you don’t want to take up the responsibility. Humble yourself as Zambians will respond to you through the ballot
know why Ruanda is where it is today? They’d seen the bottom of the abyss, they stopped perpertual-moaning, picked each other up and worked for “The Ruanda they want” – it is work that uplifts, not perpetual moaning and wishing for manna. Hard-work is the elder brother of Hope!
You cant complain about Climate change yet you spend three quarters of your time in a jet plane. Those who have been to school know that Aviation is a major source of CO2 emissions. Planes contribute most devastatingly to the decimation of the Ozone layer. They account for about 2-3% of global CO2 emissions. HH and Rutto have the worst carbon footprint among the entire world’s leaders. so they are chief contributors to the drought.
Very true. I live in Auckland New Zealand and the prime Minister has demonstrated her understanding of the effects of jet flying on climate.
Ms Jacinda Ardern has made huge efforts at reducing air travel. She instead opts for virtual meetings and encourages her government to do the same.
Hard work sure is the answer but being frustrated by poor quality MP’s and
poor preformance in zesco and such makes that difficult
NO ONE in GRZ is leading by example
In all seriousness, to those climate change mongers, when you came into this world, was there a set climate which gave conditions on how to regulate it? We have seasons for a reason, maybe the earth is also passing through phases which take time beyond any human life. Let’s not deceive ourselves, the only threat to humans are the people themselves with their nuclear madness.
How???? Muleikalafye, if you cannot even fix the electricity issues which you strongly condemned while in opposition.. you compared Zambia to Dubai UAE.. remember in one of your radio interviews way back. shame!!!!!!
Don’t worry it’s biblical.
stop throwing you bible quotes around
This what you get for a know it all president. Our dependents the 2.8million voted for this f0olish man and all he can do is talk other than working. He has messed up this country to worse than 1964 levels.
1964 things were good a viable profitable country sadly messed up by ……. ?
Mismanagement, corruption, has taken over this country which he doesnt care about or wish to resolve
If anything we need a new party to be formed chop chop, as the current opposition has nothing at all to offer, they all dead wood
Apart from segregation life was nice with well maintained infrastructure fully equipped schools and hospitals. The only problem was lack of freedom of movement. One had to get permission to leave his village for town….. come to think of it even now speech has to be controlled otherwise uza kamba kusogoro.
Zambian politics Its dead wood leading and being opposed by dead wood
Stanyonko!
Economic decline in Zambia started way before the drought, especially when you removed subsidies on fuel and raised electricity tariffs. Load shedding and drought just came to complement that ill advised decision. I support UPND but I am also brutally honest with my party. If you say I will be sworn at 10hrs and at 14hrs the kwacha will gain over the dollar and there is no drought in those 4 hrs you projected, a drought which is real but becoming your major excuse, like the PF covid story. Just apologise so that I can still vote for you. Just apologise we move on.
Budweiser have you ever seen a politician apologising? It would be a phenomenal occurrence requiring the presence of Al Jazeera, CNN, BBC, Fox, DeadNBC, all people and all animals on earth!
Ati PF had 800 million dollars debt on fuel, and you want to demonise them as if there was an offence here that is very okay if the debt is on government and people were accessing cheaper fuel at K17 per litre. That is the practice globally, governments cushion their citizens, not this foreign dictate you are following, trust me it will swallow you in the next 2 years
They are looking for anything to absolve themselves of every shortcoming. It’s taken three years for them to discover the debt… amazing… very soon the drought will be lumped on the PF
These are problems for wealthy countries, please focus on immediate issues. This climate nonsense is being pushed by countries that have already developed and want to pay millions of dollars to developing countries to remain poor. A developed country no longer has to do conservation but merely pay a developing country to keep bush and forest then claim the carbon credits.
Hakainde’s talkshows never end. ” The Head of State says there is a need to work together regardless of people’s political, social, tribe or religious affiliation in order to overcome the current challenges of the food and energy crisis caused by the drought” Has Hakainde just waken up? When he was in opposition he never thought of working together with anyone and Now? Hakainde is the last person to talk about the “energy crisis caused by drought” These are some of the statements that qualifies Hakainde for psychiatric evaluation written by Dr. Sishuwa. Hakainde sells all the maize but blames drought to have caused the food crisis.